How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

Written By: Dana DroppoAs a testament to your impeccable taste and knowledge of what’s hot in music right now, you’ve been asked to DJ your friend’s party. What now? Follow these steps and you’re sure to become your friends’ resident DJ in no time.

1. How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

Written By: Dana Droppo

As a testament to your impeccable taste and knowledge of what’s hot in music right now, you’ve been asked to DJ your friend’s party. What now? Follow these steps and you’re sure to become your friends’ resident DJ in no time.

2. How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

How To DJ Your Friend’s Party: A 10 Step Guide

As a testament to your impeccable taste and knowledge of what’s hot in music right now, you’ve been asked to DJ your friend’s party. What now? Follow these steps and you’re sure to become your friends’ resident DJ in no time.

1. Choose a DJ Name

1. Choose a DJ Name

Every great DJ takes the first step towards world arena domination by choosing his/her title. As far as we know, no one has claimed rights to “DJ Fizzle Pop” yet. Just a suggestion.

2. Get Some DJ Software

2. Get Some DJ Software

DJing off of your iTunes is totally fine, but a simple DJ software program will help you fake it until you’re beatmatching like Tiesto. Lots of programs are free to download and feature a splitting function that lets you fade from one song into the next.

3. Know Your Crowd

3. Know Your Crowd

If your friend is really your little sister, you’re probably going to want to steer clear of anything that’s not PG-appropriate. Think about the kind of music the majority of attendees are into. You’ll gain cred for introducing your audience to some new stuff, but you also want to hear them singing along to your set!

4. Make a Playlist in Advance

4. Make a Playlist in Advance

Pre-select a list of songs to help narrow down your search in the moment, so you’re never scrambling to select the next track. Even if you don’t follow it to the letter, planning ahead ensures you stay cool, calm and collected as you awe the crowd with your DJ mastery.

5. Create a Custom Drop

5. Create a Custom Drop

Picture all of your friends jumping up and down at the height of your set, when all of a sudden sirens go off and the DJ name you selected four short steps ago comes booming through the speakers. You can voice-record a custom drop with something as simple as a smartphone or computer. Play it enough times and soon people will only know you as “Fizzle Pop.”

6. Soundcheck

6. Soundcheck

Make sure your speakers and cords are plugged in and working properly before the guests arrive. If you have to make any adjustments or run to an electronics store at the last minute, this will keep the party on-schedule, and your friends happy by extension.

7. Start Slow

7. Start Slow

Starting with slower tempos lets your audience ease into their surroundings. Once everyone’s settled and comfortable, then it’s time to pick it up!

8. Take Requests

8. Take Requests

The best way to make sure everyone hears what they love? Play what they ask for!

9. Mix throwbacks with brand new music

9. Mix throwbacks with brand new music

If you haven’t updated your music library in a while, look up your favorite artists and music blogs to make sure you’ve got all the new jams on deck. Intersperse them with songs that you know are guaranteed to get the crowd singing a few nostalgic verses, and you’ll hit that sweet spot between being trendy and seasoned.

10. Don’t give it all away

10. Don’t give it all away

If you’ve got five songs lined up that you know the crowd will go crazy for, don’t make them your first five songs. Save them for when the room’s energy is at its peak so you can be the reason the party’s lid blows off when you hit play.